U.S. soldier gets 7-month sentence in Iraq killings
Updated Thu. Sep. 18 2008 12:18 PM ET The Associated Press
Article Link
VILSECK, Germany -- A U.S. soldier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder and was sentenced to seven months in prison Thursday in the deaths of four Iraqis, saying he stood guard from a machine-gun turret while the bound men were shot.
The relatively lenient sentence for Spc. Belmor Ramos was part of a deal that will see him testify against others alleged to have been involved in the killings last year.
The four unidentified Iraqi men were bound, blindfolded, shot in the head and dumped in a Baghdad canal between 10 March and 16 April 2007 -- killings prosecutors said were in retribution for casualties in Ramos' unit at the time.
Ramos, of Clearfield, Utah, told a judge at his court martial that he stood guard as the men were killed. In the stark Rose Barracks courtroom, the 23-year-old testified he didn't have to go along with the others, but that he wanted to.
"I wanted them dead. I had no legal justification or excuse to do this," Ramos said in a soft but steady voice.
Ramos testified he stood watch from the machine-gun turret of his Humvee when others carried out the killings. He said he heard the shots, but did not personally witness the deaths.
Ramos had faced a possible sentence of life in prison for conspiracy to commit murder.
Judge Lt. Col. Edward O'Brien said that, had it not been for the plea agreement, he would have sentenced Ramos to 40 years in prison. Ramos will also have his rank reduced to private and be dishonorably discharged from the army.
The native of Chile, who moved to Utah at age 10 and became a U.S. citizen in 2006, could also lose his citizenship because of the verdict, and face deportation.
"We are a country that believes in free will, but we must show personal courage to do the right thing," said prosecutor Capt. Derrick Grace.
"A message must be sent to those who might want to be the judge, jury, and as in this case, the executioner, all at once."
More on link
Updated Thu. Sep. 18 2008 12:18 PM ET The Associated Press
Article Link
VILSECK, Germany -- A U.S. soldier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder and was sentenced to seven months in prison Thursday in the deaths of four Iraqis, saying he stood guard from a machine-gun turret while the bound men were shot.
The relatively lenient sentence for Spc. Belmor Ramos was part of a deal that will see him testify against others alleged to have been involved in the killings last year.
The four unidentified Iraqi men were bound, blindfolded, shot in the head and dumped in a Baghdad canal between 10 March and 16 April 2007 -- killings prosecutors said were in retribution for casualties in Ramos' unit at the time.
Ramos, of Clearfield, Utah, told a judge at his court martial that he stood guard as the men were killed. In the stark Rose Barracks courtroom, the 23-year-old testified he didn't have to go along with the others, but that he wanted to.
"I wanted them dead. I had no legal justification or excuse to do this," Ramos said in a soft but steady voice.
Ramos testified he stood watch from the machine-gun turret of his Humvee when others carried out the killings. He said he heard the shots, but did not personally witness the deaths.
Ramos had faced a possible sentence of life in prison for conspiracy to commit murder.
Judge Lt. Col. Edward O'Brien said that, had it not been for the plea agreement, he would have sentenced Ramos to 40 years in prison. Ramos will also have his rank reduced to private and be dishonorably discharged from the army.
The native of Chile, who moved to Utah at age 10 and became a U.S. citizen in 2006, could also lose his citizenship because of the verdict, and face deportation.
"We are a country that believes in free will, but we must show personal courage to do the right thing," said prosecutor Capt. Derrick Grace.
"A message must be sent to those who might want to be the judge, jury, and as in this case, the executioner, all at once."
More on link
